Barber Shop Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a barber shop business may carry — core, prevalent, and situational — why each matters, and the gap most often missed.
Pull out your current policy and check the box next to any coverage you can confirm is already in place — anything unchecked is worth a quick conversation with your advisor. Coverage checklist for barbershops and barber-stylists. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against the shop's actual service mix and staffing model.
Tick each coverage you can confirm you carry — anything left unticked is a good question for your next policy review.
| Have it? | Coverage | Why this business needs it | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Liability (Barber Malpractice) | Covers claims that a service caused injury — razor cuts, infections from tools, chemical burns, or dye reactions. General liability typically excludes these. | Core | |
| Commercial General Liability | Covers premises injuries such as a slip on cut hair or a wet floor, and damage to a client's property. | Core | |
| Products Liability | Covers claims from products used on clients or sold at retail; confirm whether any private-label products are covered. | Prevalent | |
| Business Personal Property | Covers chairs, clippers, towel warmers, and fixtures against fire, theft, or water damage. | Prevalent | |
| Workers' Compensation | Required in most states once the shop has employees; blade cuts and repetitive strain are the typical injuries. | Situational | |
| Employment Practices Liability (EPLI) | Relevant if booth renters are later treated as employees, or for harassment and wrongful-termination claims. | Situational | |
| Host / Liquor Liability | Needed if the shop serves or allows alcohol, even complimentary — many GL policies limit or exclude this. | Situational | |
| Cyber Liability | Covers exposure of client contact and payment data held in online booking and point-of-sale systems. | Situational | |
| Business Income | Replaces lost income if a fire, water loss, or covered shutdown closes the shop. | Prevalent |
The coverage gap most often missed
The most commonly missed coverage for this class is professional liability. Owners often assume general liability covers a client who is cut by a razor, develops an infection, or is burned by a relaxer. It generally does not — GL excludes injury arising from the professional service itself. Barbering puts an open blade on skin many times a day, and OSHA has confirmed its Bloodborne Pathogens Standard applies to barbershops. The second gap is the booth-rental model: renters are expected to carry their own GL and PL, but an injured client usually names the shop too. Without a current renter certificate naming the shop as additional insured, the shop's own policy ends up defending the renter's work.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your barber shop coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Barber Shop Insurance · Barber Shop Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a barber shop business need?
The core coverages for a barber shop business are Professional Liability (Barber Malpractice), Commercial General Liability. This checklist also lists the prevalent and situational coverages worth considering, with a plain-English note on why each matters.
Is this checklist insurance advice?
No. It is a free educational tool to help you have a more informed conversation with a licensed professional. It affords no coverage and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice — only your actual policy language governs what is and isn't covered.
Can Cory Washington & Co. review my barber shop coverage?
Yes. Share your checklist and we'll review your program line by line, market your account across multiple carriers, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
This checklist is a free educational tool from Cory Washington & Co. to help you review your own coverage and have a more informed conversation with a licensed insurance professional. It is general information only — not insurance, legal, or financial advice, and not a recommendation to buy, change, or cancel any policy. Coverage terms, availability, limits, and requirements vary by policy, carrier, and state, and only the language in your actual policy governs what is and isn’t covered. Checking or leaving blank any item above does not indicate that you are adequately insured or under-insured. Using this checklist does not create a client, agency, or fiduciary relationship. Always consult a licensed professional about your specific situation.